Lighten Up--Your Skin That Is

Summer is over, and as much as you may have enjoyed the sun and surf you may be left with some unwanted souvenirs--brown spots or uneven skin tone. Or maybe you have always had pigment issues or melasma.

There are a number of remedies including peels and lotions and BeautyInDC.com has found some of the newest on the market.

The Dermatology & Clinical Skin Care Clinic in Bethesda www.dermskin.com has been having very successful results with something called the Melanage Skin Lightening System. This is a peel but it works a bit differently than some of the more popular ones. A Melanage 1 Masque will be applied during an office visit and you'll actually leave the office with the masque on and leave it on for the length of time determined by your skin type. Once you remove it there is an easy to follow but strict at-home regimen that involves the application of several Melanage products. Although most patients experience a peeling of their skin and a few days of downtime not every patient will notice this even though you are still receiving all of the benefits of the system. Those include a lightening of dark spots, improvement of skin tone and texture, stimulation of collagen production and diminishment of fine lines. A skin evaluation by the doctor prior to the peel with help predict the outcome. Price of the peel is around $850.00.

There are also some hi-tech creams on the market in all price ranges for some at home damage control.




Neutrogena has a new Tone Correcting Moisturizer that uses Retinol SA and Vitamin C to reduce the look of excess melanin and claims to fade the appearance of stubborn dark spots in just four weeks. The product sales for about $19.99.





Shiseido makes a lightening line of products called White Lucent that utilizes their Spot Deacti-Complex, Vitamin C and Asian plant extracts to diminish the appearance of spots. The line includes a Cleanser, Emulsion and Softener Lotion. The product prices range from $34 to $120.






And Kinerase claims to erase sun damage in 4 weeks with their PhotoFacials line. Clinical results showed that 89% of women noticably erased sun damage, improved skin texture and tone, wrinkles and firmness. Their main ingredients are Kojic acid, Kinetin, Minerals and Matrixyl 3000. They offer a Cleanser, Day Moisturizer and Night Moisturizer. Products average around $80 although Sephora is offering a three piece introductory kit right now that is a $143 value for $100.


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The Peel Solution

If you've taken a good look at your skin or even had a skin analysis done you might be shocked at some of the damage due to acne, aging or too much sun exposure. Products can only do so much and maybe you're not quite ready for laser skin resufacing. So what other remedy could give you some moderate to dramatic results fairly quickly?

You could try one of the oldest cosmetic procedures in the world the chemical facial peel...Apparently they were even being performed in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome to help people achieve smoother, more beautiful skin.

According to board certified facial and reconstructive plastic surgeon Dr. Suzanne Kim Doud Galli, www.restonfacialplastics.com peels are an excellent way to treat hyperpigmentation, fine lines and acne scars as well as improve the skins texture.


At her offices in Reston and Washington Circle in the District she offers a range of peels from what is commonly referred to as the "Lunchtime" peel to the gold standard of peels, the Obagi Blue Peel which might require a few days of downtime (every woman seems to remember the scene from Sex and the City with Samantha and the bee keeper hat and veil after her peel experience!)

Glycolic peels are more superficial peels that could be done at lunch and will eliminate fine lines by consistently removing the top layer of skin. The strengh of the peels can be increased to suit the needs of the client and can be done in a series for optimal results. The peel can be done on the hands too which tend to be one of the first places to show aging.

The next level would be the 10% Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA) peel which will have stronger results and a bit more down time.

The most intense peel with more obvious results is the one that we hear about so much--the Obagi Blue Peel. The peel uses TCA as the active ingredient mixed with the patented Blue Base from Obagi. It shouldn't require sedation and you should have only a few minutes of a burning sensation. Afterwards you may have some light swelling for 2 to 3 days followed by a few days of peeling. Within 7 to 10 days the process is complete , your fine lines should be gone and you should have improved tightening of the skin. Dr. Doud Galli says this peel works extremely well on the eyelids if that's a problem area for you.

Prices for the peels can range from $100 for the glycolic peels, $150 for the 10% TCA peel. The higher strength TCA Obagi Blue Peel costs $800.

Women who have had the peels swear by them as a fairly quick fix for those common skin problems associated with acne, sun damage or aging. A peel could be the answer if you feel like you would like more than a facial but aren't quite ready for other alternatives.

Dr. Suzanne Kim Doud Galli
www.restonfacialplastics.com
1860 Town Center Drive, Suite 260 Reston, VA 20190
Phone: 703-787-0199

or

3 Washington Circle NW Washington, DC 20037
Phone: 202-828-8383